Top officials to take stock of projects in Naxal-hit states

Construction of roads and fortified police stations, installation of mobile towers have been sanctioned by the central government

Chief Secretaries of seven Naxal-affected states and Secretaries of key central ministries will meet here tomorrow to take stock of various development projects initiated in Maoist-hit areas.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi will chair the review meeting on key development issues with Chief Secretaries of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and Maharashtra.

Secretaries of central ministries like Road Transport and Highways, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Health and Family Welfare, Railway and Information and Broadcasting, besides departments of Telecom, School Education and Literacy, Financial Services, Posts will attend the high-level meeting, an official spokesperson said.

The central government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy which includes security-related interventions, development measures and ensuring rights and entitlement of local communities.

Special projects such as construction of roads, installation of mobile towers and construction of fortified police stations have been sanctioned by the central government.

The development works are implemented through the states and relate to various schemes/programmes of the development ministries of the central government.

While 106 districts in 10 states are affected by Maoist activities in varying degrees, 35 districts in seven states are considered to be worst hit.

At least 76 Naxals were killed and 665 arrested by security forces in the Left Wing Extremism-hit areas in the first four months of 2016.

Security forces have achieved greater success in tackling Left Wing Extremism in recent times and this year there has been 30% decline in violence perpetrated by Maoists compared to the past.